Experts discuss growing threat of Maoism in India's northeast

The Maoist threat in India's northeastern region is real and worrisome. Recently, experts discussed the issue at a seminar hosted by the Centre for Development and Peace Studies in Guwahati.

"Responding to the Maoist Spread in India's Northeast" was the title of a seminar organized by Guwahati-based think-tank, the Centre for Development and Peace Studies.

Members of the civil society, government officials, journalists and NGOs shared their views about the challenge Maoists have been posing in the region.

It is evident that Maoists have set up base in Upper Assam, close to Arunachal border, and are working closely with northeast based insurgent outfits.

"Maoists have just opened shop in the northeastern region. We don't know what much about their linkages and ideology. We are trying to understand the problem. We are at a stage where CDPS try to under the Maoist problem and therefore we are engaged in this exercise," said Washbir Hussain, Executive director, Centre for Development and Peace Studies

The peace interlocutor for Assam, P C Haldar, said the presence of Maoists in the Northeast has the potential to create serious "strategic security complications".

He urged the security establishments to take the attempts by the Maoists to consolidate themselves in the area seriously, while planning a strategy to tackle them.

"Any ideology that has violence as its creed is injurious and in this region where militancy, armed militancy has already created a lot of damage. We should be wary of any violence particularly those violence which is used as an instrument of political persuasion," Haldar said.

The Maoists have close links with anti-talk faction of NDFB and ULFA to seek their help in procuring arms and strengthen the cadre base.

Experts believe the spread of Maoism to the north-east region has added a new security dimension to the volatile region.